1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer mice. More specifically, the present invention relates an ergonomic computer mouse having a separately movable hand rest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computers have become increasingly more important in the everyday life of most people and very few are not affected in one way or another by computers processing information concerning the world around us. Computers have become an essential tool to many different occupations and professions where people use computers for long periods of time to transact business. As we increasingly rely on computers in the office as well as in the home, the debilitating physical effects of prolonged use of computer mice have become apparent.
Most desktop computer software rely on “point and click” operations. Hand-operated pointing devices with buttons are commonly used to manipulate computer displays and make selections. While many different devices have been developed to facilitate use of computer software such as trackballs or touch pads, the computer mouse is by far the most popular. In order to make the use of computers more user friendly, many different types of computer mice have been created to provide a more ergonomically correct computer interface.
Although computer mice may differ in their exact style and appearance from one manufacturer to another, their functions and methods of use are very similar. To communicate with the computer, the computer user must move the mouse and click selection buttons to manipulate the computer software. This repetitive moving and clicking of the computer mouse, as well as other activities associated with using the mouse, can cause tendinitis and other types of hand, wrist, and arm pain, referred to in general as Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) or Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs). Once the pain is present, a vicious cycle of use-pain-stop use/use-pain-stop use often begins and computer use becomes difficult. One of the more damaging types of repetitive motions is the continual flexion and extension of the middle finger, as might be caused by clicking the mouse button. Constant flexion and extension of the middle finger causes activation of the extensor carpi radialus brevis muscle and may cause subsequent impingement and irritation of the radial nerve.
Many of the computer mice created to date have been designed to provide static ergonomic support by contouring the outer surface of the mouse housing to orient the user's hand in an ergonomically correct position. However, the mice created to date do not provide ergonomic support that is dynamic to compensate for the movements of the user's hand during use of the mouse. Several of these mice are discussed here.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,370 issued to Kravtin et al. discloses a conventional computer mouse in combination with an ergonomic extension. The ergonomic extension is attached to the computer mouse for movement therewith and is positioned adjacent to the computer mouse for facilitating use of the mouse by a user in a ergonomically correct position. An adjustment mechanism enables the user to adjust the position of the computer mouse relative to the ergonomic extension for enabling use of the computer mouse and ergonomic extension by users having different size hands.
A drawback to this particular type of computer mouse design is the fact that the ergonomic extension does not move in relation to the computer mouse during use. Due to this limitation, the alignment of the user's hand with the ergonomic extension may not be maintained in an ergonomically desirable position. Therefore, there still remains a need for a computer mouse that dynamically supports the heel and palm of the hand while still allowing the computer mouse to rotate and translate freely in relation to the heel and palm support.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,371 issued to Bunke et al. discloses an ergonomic computer mouse having support surfaces that are adjustable in two directions. The mouse includes a pivot mechanism that couples an upper and lower portion of the mouse housing together. The pivot mechanism may allow a user to adjust the upper and lower housing portions in pitch and roll directions with respect to one another. This computer mouse also does not provide dynamic ergonomic support to a user's hand when the user moves the centerline of the computer mouse out of alignment with the centerline of the user's hand and wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,289 issued to Speece discloses an ergonomic wrist rest for a user of a computer mouse input device. The rest is adapted to receive the arm of the user, extending to the user's wrist for maintaining the user's hand in a predetermined position with respect to the arm of the user when the fingers of the user contact the mouse input device. This ergonomic wrist rest retains the hand and wrist of the user in a predetermined position so that the centerline of the user's hand and wrist is held in line with the centerline of the computer mouse. However, this type of design can be rather restrictive and uncomfortable and requires a greater amount of desktop space to accommodate the rest. Therefore, a new approach is needed for providing dynamic ergonomic support to a user's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,249 issued to Derocher et al. discloses a computer mouse that collapses into a smaller form. In one embodiment, a cover slides to hide or reveal buttons and collapses or extends the length of the mouse. This computer mouse is another example of a mouse designed to adjustably accommodate different situations, but does not provide dynamic ergonomic support to a user's hand.
These prior art devices, as well as devices that are not expressly discussed here, disclose providing static support to the heel and palm of the hand during use of a computer mouse but do not disclose, teach, or suggest how to compensate for movement of the heel and palm of a user's hand during movement of the computer mouse and hand in relation to the static support. Therefore, there is still a need for an ergonomic computer mouse having dynamic ergonomic support for the heel and palm of a user's hand during use of the computer mouse.